LOS ANGELES – Mayor Kasim Reed was among the U.S. mayors and governors joining Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and a delegation of Chinese subnational leaders making new climate commitments and agreements at the U.S.-China Climate Leaders Summit. It was the first official convening of U.S. and Chinese subnational leaders on climate change under the Climate Change Working Group and represented a key opportunity to galvanize climate action before December’s United Nations climate conference in Paris.
“Addressing climate change is a moral imperative,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “The United States can be a leader in the transition to a clean energy economy, and I look forward to working with other mayors on solutions that will provide a path forward to making meaningful reductions in carbon pollution while preparing for the impacts of climate change.”
During the Summit, leading cities from both countries shared best practices and discussing objectives in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight global climate change. Outcomes from the Summit will be discussed at the State Visit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington, DC the following week.
The Summit results from the historic joint climate announcement by Presidents Obama and Xi last November in which the U.S. committed to reduce its emissions 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, and China committed to peak CO2 emissions around 2030. That announcement also launched a U.S.-China Climate-Smart/Low-Carbon Cities Initiative to respond to growing urbanization and increasingly significant greenhouse gas emissions from cities.
The Summit in Los Angeles marked the first effort of that initiative and brought together local leaders from both countries for a multiple-day conference featuring a high-level plenary at which leaders will declare their resolve, ambition, and actions; working-level technical exchanges to share experience and best practices; and an exhibition to engage the private sector.
Mayor Kasim Reed’s participation in the Summit builds on his continued commitment to make Atlanta a national leader in energy conservation and a top-tier city for sustainability.
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